From polymer clay to working with metal, from yummy recipes to artsy photography, anything colourful that tickles my fancy, I will gladly share with you.
As there are definitely not enough hours in the day to do all that I have/want to do... you may need to be a bit patient.

14 comments:

Hi Chris Thanks so much for sharing, this is very useful as I am still trying to find the best way of polishing my pc. I wanted to buy the micromesh but Valerie hasn't got them in stock at the moment - hopefully she will have them back soon.I like the tip with the gloves - never occured to me that you could wear them inside out as they are a bit rough outside. Helen

Hi Helenka, glad you got some useful information from my own experiences. I have learned the hard way and I only want to sand when it is really necessary...Please send Valerie a message to inquire about the Micromesh :)

I agree Chris! I too use micro mesh pads and love the smoothness of the clay that comes out as you progress to the higher numbers. I really need to remember to add some translucent to my pieces to get that higher glossy shine. I must admit I am spoiled with the micro mesh and would never go back to regular sandpaper!

Thanks Jan! Translucent is only necessary if you are not using Kato as that really shines easier by itself :)The only reason why I still have regular sandpaper is to texture... or sometimes to reduce some really unpleasant edges.

Thank you so much for sharing this.Although I have been using polymer clay this past four years I cannot get the hang of a good shine and I am always wondering what varnish to use.Although sometimes I think that the varnish I use seems to give my pieces a plastic feel which I am not too struck on. One thing I have found is that mixing a bit of translucent does help as does a little bit of pearl.

Hi Christine and thank you for your kindest words :) The trick with high shine is really due to the fine sanding. The smoother the bead, the higher the shine will be.

And indeed, I do not like the feel of varnished beads either. However, I have found that if I need to add a thin layer of varnish after using a surface decoration, I put the bead back in the oven after varnishing, for a small amount of time, on the regular temperature.. it evens out the varnish and makes it different to the touch. But maybe that is just me :)

Hello Chris, I found this heart really beautiful, and it's great to have such a great tutorial at hand. I've been wanting to try sanding, but I am always afraid to mess up with the little details I place in my work.

Thank you for your kind words :) - I suggest on something in scrap clay first to see what the best way is to sand your own little creatures. Some may not requires sanding.Here is a link to make a sander out of an electric toothbrush..for those difficult to reach corners :) you can use the same pads as you use for other clay applications. http://www.modelbuildersonline.com/Tutorials/How-to-Build-a-Toothbrush/5820378_5DPSSk#!i=360786590&k=pHNUy